The Italian Job (2003) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error After being betrayed and left for dead in Italy, Charlie Croker and his team plan an elaborate gold heist against their former ally. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC Famous Directors: From Sundance to Prominence From Christopher Nolan to Quentin Tarantino and every Coen brother in between, many of today's most popular directors got their start at the Sundance Film Festival . Here's a list of some of the biggest names to go from Sundance to Hollywood prominence.

a list of 44 titles created 21 Jul 2012 a list of 28 titles created 26 Oct 2012 a list of 42 titles created 12 Jun 2015 a list of 24 titles created 7 months ago a list of 25 titles created 5 months ago Title: The Italian Job (2003) 7/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 7 wins & 7 nominations. See more awards » Videos Frank is hired to "transport" packages for unknown clients and has made a very good living doing so. But when asked to move a package that begins moving, complications arise. Directors: Louis Leterrier, Corey Yuen Stars: Jason Statham, Qi Shu, Matt Schulze Mercenary Frank Martin, who specializes moving goods of all kinds, surfaces again this time in Miami, Florida when he's implicated in the kidnapping of the young son of a powerful USA official.

Director: Louis Leterrier 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X A marksman living in exile is coaxed back into action after learning of a plot to kill the President. Ultimately double-crossed and framed for the attempt, he goes on the run to find the real killer and the reason he was set up. Director: Antoine Fuqua 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X Martine offers Terry a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London's Baker Street. She targets a roomful of safe deposit boxes worth millions in cash and jewelry. But Terry and his crew don't realize the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets - secrets that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal. Director: Roger Donaldson Danny Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously. Director: Steven Soderbergh A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris.

Director: Pierre Morel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.1/10 X Frank Martin puts the driving gloves on to deliver Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of a Ukranian government official, from Marseilles to Odessa on the Black Sea. En route, he has to contend with thugs who want to intercept Valentina's safe delivery and not let his personal feelings get in the way of his dangerous objective. Director: Olivier Megaton Professional assassin Chev Chelios learns his rival has injected him with a poison that will kill him if his heart rate drops. Directors: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor Stars: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Carlos Sanz Danny Ocean rounds up the boys for a third heist, after casino owner Willy Bank double-crosses one of the original eleven, Reuben Tishkoff. Director: Steven Soderbergh Daniel Ocean recruits one more team member so he can pull off three major European heists in this sequel to Ocean's 11. Director: Steven Soderbergh A bored married couple is surprised to learn that they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill each other.

Director: Doug Liman Ex-con Jensen Ames is forced by the warden of a notorious prison to compete in our post-industrial world's most popular sport: a car race in which inmates must brutalize and kill one another on the road to victory. Director: Paul W.S. Anderson Edit Storyline Led by John Bridger ( Donald Sutherland ) and Charlie Croker ( Mark Wahlberg ) a team is assembled for one last heist to steal $35 million in gold bars from a heavily guarded safe in Venice, Italy. After successfully pulling off the heist, a team member, Steve ( Edward Norton ), driven by greed and jealousy, arranges to take the gold for himself and eliminate the remaining members of the group. Thinking the team dead, he returns to L.A. with the gold. Charlie and the survivors of this betrayal follow Steve L.A. to exact revenge against the traitor. Charlie enlists the help of John Bridger's daughter, Stella ( Charlize Theron ) - a professional safe cracker, to get revenge.

With Stella and the hacking skills of Lyle (Seth Green), the explosives skills of "Left Ear" ( Yasiin Bey ), and the driving skills of "Handsome" Rob ( Jason Statham ) this new team plans and executes a daring heist that weaves through the freeways and subways of L.A. Written by CKnapp Steal The Day 5.30.03 See more » Genres: Rated PG-13 for violence and some language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 30 May 2003 (USA) See more » Also Known As: La estafa maestra See more » Filming Locations: $19,457,944 (USA) (30 May 2003) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia For the first time in cinematic history, the production shut down Hollywood Boulevard and Highland for seven days for the shooting, according to director F. Gary Gray in an interview featured in the DVD. See more » Goofs Obvious stunt double when Charlie hits Steve. See more » Quotes Stella : [on the phone] Hello. John Bridger : [on the phone] Hello, sweetie.

Stella : [on the phone] Daddy, it's early. See more » Crazy Credits At the very end of the credits, the sound of coins falling and tinkling can be heard. See more » Connections Slick, amusing caper film; Gray's best movie featuring Davis' best soundtrack 11 December 2005 | by lemon_magic (Wavy Wheat, Nebraska) – See all my reviews My reaction to this remake of "The Italian Job" is probably hopelessly mixed up with the events occurring in my life when I saw it; This is the first movie I saw after I had just landed a job after 8 months of unemployment and going back to school for retraining. Money was still tight, but I no longer had to choose between seeing a movie in the theaters and paying bills (or eating lunch), and the sense of relief and gratitude I was feeling at the time was enormous. In consequence, my enjoyment of "Italian Job" was probably far out of proportion to its actual worth. Still, I picked it up used on DVD a few weeks ago and watched it again, and I still enjoyed it immensely.

I have never seen the original (though I have heard it is an absolute classic), but its modern day counterpart is eminently watchable if you have a taste for modern day production values applied to older films plots and themes. What initially won me over to this movie was the soundtrack - IMO Don Davis writes some of the most supple, textured and aurally pleasing soundtracks around. IJ opens with a sly, witty, pulsing arrangement that combines strings, guitar harmonics, brush work and quiet moments - it won me over completely from the opening seconds. And the whole movie is like this - I haven't heard this kind of ringing, chiming, pulsing soundtrack music since Stewart Copeland left the Police and started doing soundtracks for movies like "Rumble Fish". There are at least a dozen irresistibly scored motifs in here, along with some pop song remakes that range from "all right" to "inspired". For people to whom the soundtrack is important, this movie is a delight. On to the movie: I can take or leave Mark Wahlberg, but he's okay here as the leading man, and the movie doesn't ask him to do anything he can't do well.

He's the weakest "major" actor in the film, but that's because the rest of supporting cast is so strong, especially Donald Sutherland in a bit part. Mos Def, Jason Steadham, Ed Norton, Seth Green and Charlize Theron all turn in solid, fat-free performances. Norton seems to mostly be phoning it in (rumor has it that he didn't really want to be in the film), but he's still a natural even at 1/2 power. My one quibble with the casting and acting is with the character "Wrench", who seems to be a male model pretending to be an actor. His part seems to be shoehorned into the movie, and he has little chemistry with the rest of the cast (although you can blame some of that on the size of the part and the "late walk on" nature of the character). If I were a cynical sort,I would wonder who the actor slept with to get put into this movie in such a supernumerary role? Nah, never happen...

Production values, camera work, stunts, plot...everything cooks along quite nicely and Gray and his production crew pull things together pretty seamlessly (with the exception of the "Wrench" character, see above). The dialog has a nice, light touch that rewards your indulgence, and there are several satisfying major and minor plot payoffs along the way. (My favorite moment - when Norton's character tells Wahlberg's character that he's just lost the element of surprise. Wahlberg proceeds to cold cock Norton with a right cross, and then asks him, "Were you surprised??" Hmmm, maybe you had to be there...) Of course the movie requires a certain level of "suspension of disbelief" to work, but if you just relax and go along with it (and don't think too hard about the mechanics of cracking a safe underwater, or the likelihood of anyone being able to successfully hack and manipulate LA traffic via a laptop, etc), you'll have a fun ride. "The Italian Job": it's lightweight summer fluff, but it's very good for what it is, and it doesn't try to be anything else. It isn't good enough for an "8" but I'd give it a "7.5".

49 of 69 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Italian Job Cliff Hanger Scene Recreated in UK | Public Radio International Italian Job Cliff Hanger Scene Recreated in UK The last scene from the classic heist movie has been recreated as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. (Photo: BBC video) Credit: BBC For the Geo Quiz, we go back to the original Italian Job movie. The American remake came out in 2003, but the British classic it was based on hit movie theaters in 1969. The original had many quotable lines. But most famous is the one from Michael Caine, starring as Charlie Croker: "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off." Player utilities PRI.org <iframe frameborder="0" src="" height="75" width="100%"></iframe> In the movie he is leading a group of robbers who steal a load of gold in Italy. The heist is masterminded from inside the prison by Noel Coward's character, Mr.Bridger.

"If you don't come back with the goods, Nellie here will turn in her grave and likely as not jump right out of it and kick ya teeth in," Mr.Bridger says in the movie. So for the quiz, we want the name of the Italian city where the heist takes place in the original Italian Job movie. Turin is the answer to the Geo Quiz. It is where the heist in the original Italian Job takes place. But the location is not the only difference between the original and the 2003 remake. If you've seen the original movie, you know it ends with a cliff-hanger. The bus the robbers were using crashes teeters on the edge of a cliff, gold on one side, robbers on the other. "Hang on a minute lads, I've got a great idea" is a famous dialogue from the film. And that memorable last line of dialogue is also the name of a new exhibition by British sculptor Richard Wilson. He has recreated that last scene from the 1969 classic on the roof of the De La Warr Pavilion, in Bexhill, as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Links Italian Job, The | Reelviews Movie Reviews Array ( [page] => reelviews [view] => italian-job-the ) Italian Job, The (United States, 2003) A movie review by James Berardinelli The 2003 version of The Italian Job is less of a straightforward remake of the 1969 picture than it is a complete re-interpretation. Enough has changed that it's possible to see the two films not as the same story separated by three decades, but as distinct entities. Expectedly, there are plot similarities (the centerpiece heist contains many of the same elements, including the minis), but the chemistry and motivations of the thieves is different, and the playful, semi-comedic tone of the original has been replaced by something a little less lighthearted. It's easy to do a heist movie wrong – the genre is littered with countless examples, some by prominent filmmakers. F. Gary Gray has discovered the right recipe – keep things moving, develop a nice rapport between the leads, toss in the occasional surprise, and top with a sprinkling of panache. The Italian Job isn't a masterpiece, but it gets the job done.

There are some problems (in particular, the climactic car chase – the one featuring the minis – goes on a little too long), but, for the most part, I was entertained. There's a fair amount of suspense, and I was generally impressed by the thoroughness of the caper plots. Despite being called The Italian Job, only about 20 minutes of the action takes place in Italy. The lion's share of screen time belongs to Los Angeles, with a quick stop in Philadelphia along the way. (It's worth noting that both the Venice and Philadelphia scenes appear to have been filmed on location, not in a "surrogate city" like Toronto. This is surprisingly important to the movie's strong sense of atmosphere.) There are three capers (or two and one-half, depending on how you count), the most audacious and ingenious of which occurs during the final 20 minutes. The Italian Job has plenty of little twists and turns, but the storyline is not so serpentine that the average viewer will find himself or herself becoming lost. Nevertheless, trips to the bathroom or snack bar are not recommended.

The movie opens in Venice, where a group of six crooks are about to pull off the heist of a lifetime: $35 million in gold, and they plan to do it without holding a gun. The rogues' gallery is comprised of: Charlie (Mark Wahlberg), the young leader running his first big job; John (Donald Sutherland), the crusty veteran safecracker who is Charlie's mentor; Lyle (Seth Green), the computer whiz who was "the real inventor of Napster;" Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), who once drove across the United States just so he could set the record for the longest freeway chase; Half Ear (Mos Def), who, at age 10, put one too many M80s in a toilet bowl; and Steve (Edward Norton), who is about to betray the other five. Once they have the gold, Steve pulls a gun on John, shoots him, then leaves the others for dead. A year later, the group, now including John's daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron), a "professional vault & safe technician," tracks down Steve and plots to take away the gold he stole from them (or what's left of it).

With this film, Mark Wahlberg is appearing in his third recent re-make (the other two: Planet of the Apes and The Truth About Charlie ). Wisely, he doesn't attempt to mimic Michael Caine (who played the part in the original), but instead uses his own brand of understated charisma to get us to like Charlie. Charlize Theron, who is incapable of a low-wattage performance, brings some energy to her scenes with Wahlberg. Seth Green, Jason Stratham, and Mos Def alternately provide background muscle and comic relief. Edward Norton does his best Snidely Whiplash impersonation, right down to the mustache. The Italian Job has occasional busts of smart dialogue ("There are [thieves] who steal to enrich their lives, and ones who steal to define their lives"), but not enough to elevate it to the level of David Mamet's most recent caper movie, Heist . And, while it boasts a less fatuous tone than the original (no Noel Coward or Benny Hill), there are times when it goes for the funny bone.

As one of the early entries into the 2003 Summer Movie Sweepstakes, The Italian Job delivers all that one could reasonably hope from it, and that makes it worth squeezing in between The Matrix Reloaded and The Hulk . “The Italian Job” - Salon.com Friday, May 30, 2003 7:00 PM UTC “The Italian Job” F. Gary Gray's wonderfully choreographed and entertaining remake of the beloved 1969 heist film stars Mark Wahlberg and Edward Norton, but it's a car that really shines. Topics: Movies , Entertainment News In theory, at least, anyone who loves the 1969 heist charade “The Italian Job” — and that would include just about every breathing male in the United Kingdom — has good reason to grumble about the idea that it should ever be remade. Studios are pumping out more movies than ever before and yet finding themselves with increasingly less to say. The way the studios are resurrecting old movies and TV shows, you’d think the world had simply run dry of ideas. Why else would Hollywood dip into the sacred spring of inspiration and emerge from its glittering depths with “Scooby Doo” as the captured treasure?

But F. Gary Gray’s remake of “The Italian Job” works because it’s hardly a remake at all. In the original “Italian Job,” Michael Caine plays a thief, newly sprung from jail, who wastes no time in arranging another caper, this one involving the theft of a bounteous cache of gold bars. He doesn’t make a move without seeking the sage counsel of his mentor, the still-imprisoned but ineffably dignified Noel Coward. (One of the movie’s greatest running jokes is the way the prison staff itself treats him like royalty, daintily toting his newspaper for him each morning as they escort him to answer nature’s call.) In this new “Italian Job,” Mark Wahlberg plays a thief who, like Caine’s character, is named Charlie Croker. And he also has a mentor named John Bridger, played by Donald Sutherland (who’s wonderful in his few brief scenes). Beyond that, the script, by Donna Powers and Wayne Porrows, nips playfully at the original, borrowing bits and pieces here and there, but mostly reinventing the plot completely. I don’t think it’s heresy to say that’s a good thing.

Imperfect and iconic, the original “Italian Job,” a product of late-’60s England, could never be re-created. The plot doesn’t so much unwind before us as unravel and fray in fits and starts, but you hardly care — what’s important is the picture’s mood and tone, its understated mischievousness, and its magnificently choreographed action sequences (which look sophisticated even by today’s standards). Gray’s “Italian Job” is more carefully worked out and easier to follow, yet it never hands over the works so totally that we know what’s coming next, nor does it fling so many hairpin machinations at us that we forget to care how it ends. This new “Italian Job” opens, rather than closes, with the actual Italian job, which takes place in Venice.

Charlie, along with the recently paroled Bridger, a veteran safecracker, and a crew of superthieves including all-around slick guy Steve (Edward Norton), dynamite expert Left Ear (the eminently likable Mos Def), computer genius Lyle (Seth Green) and driver of fast cars Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), procure a safe full of gold bars and almost make a clean getaway across the Italian Alps. But someone in their midst is a double-crosser; to get the treasure back, the remaining members of the gang ultimately make their way to Hollywood, where they hook up with Bridger’s daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron), a professional — and, unlike her dad, totally legit — safecracking whiz. Near the beginning, we get one amazing visual: The guys paint a neat square of explosive material around the spot where the safe sits on the floor above them, so that it falls through several levels of floors and ceilings and into — or so it seems — a getaway boat waiting below. Next comes a high-speed boat chase through Venice, that most delicate of cities. The city hardly looks able to withstand such an exciting and brutal invasion, but we can assume it comes through the experience OK.

Gray understands that speed and visceral movement are much more exciting than destruction. And there’s also something not-so-subtly sexual about the way that city’s placid waterways are completely overcome by these thrumming, unapologetically phallic motorboats. But instead of trying to top the action of the movie’s opening sequence, Gray sits back and lets us breathe for a spell. That superb opening is echoed and expanded upon much later, in the movie’s climactic action scene — the excitement of it blossoms and intensifies without working us over. As American action movies go, there’s something at least vaguely English about “The Italian Job”: You might call it busy in places, but you wouldn’t call it loud. Gray is more interested in movement than he is in noise and he’s well aware that constant excitement quickly becomes boring. We’re told as much as we need to know about the characters in order to like them. We learn that Left Ear got his name by blowing one of his eardrums out while experimenting with explosives in a bathroom stall as a kid.

And Lyle wants desperately to go by the nickname “Napster,” since he swears it was actually he who came up with that revolutionary program in the first place. (He claims that his college roomie, Sean Fanning, stole the code from him while he was, yes, napping.) Wahlberg’s Charlie makes an affable and principled criminal, a nice counterpoint to Theron’s willowy but tough Stella. Their scenes together are relaxed and charged with friendly electricity that’s not yet sensual — the mere hint of what will come to the characters later, off-screen, is all we need. But the real star of “The Italian Job” is not a person but a car. The most exquisite action scenes in the original picture involve three Mini Coopers , one red, one white and one blue. The Mini, perhaps the quintessential English car of the ’60s, is more square than it is long, and the sight of those three squat, wheeled cubes, trundling and rolling resolutely over uncertain terrain, made for one of the original movie’s purest visual delights.

The Mini Cooper has recently had a marketing push in the United States, so the more cynical moviegoers out there will probably assume that its presence in the new “Italian Job” is just a marketing ploy. But should we care? This is product placement as pure pleasure. What’s more, the Mini is essential to the spirit of both the first “Italian Job” and this one. Even souped up, it sure isn’t a fast car, relatively speaking — it’s more Little Engine That Could than hot rod. But that fact alone meant that Gray, his cinematographer Wally Pfister, and his stunt crew had to reimagine the notion of what a car chase means today. Is faster, sleeker and noisier necessarily better than slower, pudgier and quieter? And so the chase scenes in “The Italian Job” are the most exciting ones I can remember seeing in a movie in a long time, probably because they’re the only ones I can remember — and that’s saying something.

I won’t give away any essential details of these chase scenes, except to say that you’d need a Mini to whiz through a subway tunnel, especially if you’re being pursued by baddies on motorcycles, swerving and criss-crossing uselessly behind you. The Mini has the agility and determination of a garden bug. And that’s not even taking into account the look of it. Like the best sort of boyfriend, it’s funny and sexy, a motorized cartoon of the Barry White line “Ain’t what you got babe, it’s how you use it.” I have no idea what it’s like to drive one. But I do know that the male colleagues seated on either side of me at the screening sighed audibly the first time they saw Stella’s glossy lipstick-red Mini zipping along a city street. It was as if the young Brigitte Bardot had dropped in for a guest appearance. The colleague to my right, who’d never seen a Mini, said, “What is that?” And as my husband later noted, the Mini is the car for guys who don’t even like cars that much. By the same token, “The Italian Job” is the action movie for people who don’t even like action movies that much.

Small and steady, it wins the race with brains, not brawn. Stephanie Zacharek is a senior writer for Salon Arts & Entertainment. The Italian Job - Movie Review Rating: 5/10 The Italian Job Reviewed by Movie Gazette on Sunday, February 9th, 2003. A workmanlike heist flick with some funny lines and some good (if brief) chases, but it is ultimately hampered by comparing itself to the original, better 'The Italian Job'. Probably the best way to enjoy this film is to ignore its title, and to think of it as an entirely different film with occasional sequences that merely pay homage to Michael Caine's cockney masterpiece. A workmanlike heist flick with some funny lines and some good (if brief) chases, but it is ultimately hampered by comparing itself to the original, better 'The Italian Job'. Probably the best way to enjoy this film is to ignore its title, and to think of it as an entirely different film with occasional sequences that merely pay homage to Michael Caine's cockney masterpiece.

Rating: 5/10 US Certificate: PG-13 UK Certificate: 12A Country: United States Peter Collinson's 1969 film 'The Italian Job' is an English classic of its time, occupying a special place in the affections precisely because it is so many things all at once – a great crime caper, just the right balance of fast action and cheeky comedy, a showcase of British actors, the swansong of the swinging sixties, an unforgettable chase in Mini Coopers through a Turin traffic jam, Michael Caine's finest hour, and an ending which captures perfectly the peculiarly English refusal to give up when faced with one's own incompetence. F. Gary Gray's new 'The Italian Job' is none of these things, but it is after all an American film made in very different times, and for an entirely different audience. Like the model of Mini which features so prominently in it, 'The Italian Job' (2003) is very much a reimagining of the original, rather than a simple remake. There is still a slick heist operation in Italy, only this time it takes place right at the film's beginning, and in Venice.

After a successful raid and getaway, the crew is double-crossed by partner Steve (Edward Norton) who murders their safe-cracker John Bridger (Donald Sutherland, who after 'Don't Look Now' gets to die once again in Venice). From here on in, 'The Italian Job' becomes a bog standard Hollywood revenge flick, moving its action home to L.A. where Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and his team try to steal their gold back from Steve, assisted by John's daughter Stella (Charlize Theron) and a fleet of modified Minis. It would be hubris to attempt to reproduce Michael Caine's magnetic performance as Charlie Croker in the first film, so instead of trying to imitate or parody Caine, Wahlberg plays the part of Charlie all blank and inoffensive, much as he did in his reprise of Charlton Heston's rôle in Tim Burton's similarly reimagined 'The Planet of the Apes'.

The film still has a reverential eye on Caine, though, as is shown in one scene where Charlie is viewed spying on Steve who is himself watching an image of Michael Caine on his huge TV – and while this is mostly an all-American affair, the cockney spirit of the original lives on in the character of getaway driver Handsome Rob, played by Jason Statham ('Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'). There is really nothing wrong in principle with revising the original 'The Italian Job' – after all, the Mini Cooper is not a British concern any more, the age of technology has arrived, and there is no longer any place in the world for characters like Benny Hill's jolly paedophile from the first film. F. Gary Gray's 'The Italian Job' represents an efficient, business-like attempt to steal the film from the sixties and transport it rapidly into the noughties. Unfortunately, however, with its soulless script and by-the-dots plotting, it has jettisoned one thing from the original which really should not change with time – its charm. It's Got: A crew of oddballs, each with their own comic backstory which never really proves relevant to the main plot.

It Needs: Tighter scripting, and higher stakes in the L.A. heist (its one thing to rip off the mob, but quite another to rob a single, weasely man). Alternatives: The Italian Job (1969), The Thomas Crown Affair Summary A workmanlike heist flick with some funny lines and some good (if brief) chases, but it is ultimately hampered by comparing itself to the original, better 'The Italian Job'. Probably the best way to enjoy this film is to ignore its title, and to think of it as an entirely different film with occasional sequences that merely pay homage to Michael Caine's cockney masterpiece. The Italian Job: Original vs Remake (film essay) - SlamDunk! Studios SlamDunk! Studios The Italian Job: Original vs Remake (film essay) Posted on March 15, 2009 at 9:45 AM Remakes are often a vain endeavour at updating a classic movie, or even worse, a shameless Hollywood attempt to cash in on a successful storyline. Nine times out of ten they are a completely unnecessary reworking of a movie that was just fine the way it was… or simply a waste of money.

The problem with this remake is that it’s actually quite impressive. To properly establish which of the two films is superior, it is absolutely imperative that I analyse and consider every last detail. Throughout this report I will investigate their initial plotlines; the similarities and differences between the two; and most importantly the pros and cons of each version. After my examination is complete I should have narrowed my decision down to one absolute verdict.So let us begin the gruelling process of dissecting these two great films. Which one will come out on top? Will the timeless original prevail, or will its new and improved counterpart come out as top dog? It’s he old versus the new; tradition rivals progress. As the British classic locks shoulders with a Hollywood blockbuster, only one thing can be certain – the spaghetti will fly! The Italian Job (1969) The original Italian Job is a British comedy, adventure film, directed by Peter Collinson and written by Troy Kennedy Martin. It was released in 1969 and was very popular in Britain, partly due to the presence of Michael Caine. Subsequent television showings and outings on video have established it as something of a national institution in the UK, with a cult following elsewhere.

In 2004 the magazine Total Film named The Italian Job the 27th greatest British film of all time. Shortly after being released from prison, Charlie Croker (Michael Caine) hears about a ‘big job’ in Turin, Italy. The job is to steal 4 million dollars worth of gold arriving in Italy from China. With the help of Mr Bridger (Noel Coward), an incarcerated criminal mastermind who nonetheless runs a gangland empire from within jail, the plans for this high-risk operation are underway. In the first half of the film Charlie assembles his gang – which includes computer expert Professor Peach (Benny Hill), and a very minor character played by Robert Powell – and begins training and planning out the heist. Charlie works out an ingenious strategy to steel the gold, by sabotaging the traffic-control computer and escaping, in spite of the resulting traffic jam, in nippy Mini getaway cars along a carefully planned route. Things go don’t quite as smoothly as they had planned, especially with the mafia breathing down their necks. In the end, however, they somehow manage to pull it off. They steel the gold, jam up the traffic, and zoom off in three high-powered mini coopers.

This leads to an excellent car chase sequence through Italian streets, buildings, rivers, sewers, highways and rooftops, which lasts for several minutes. The gang makes their final getaway on a six-wheeled Bedford coach. Successfully on their way to Switzerland along a winding mountain road, the gang celebrates in the back of the bus. A mistake by the driver sends the coach into a skid, with the back end of the bus teetering over the edge of the cliff, the gold slipping towards the rear doors. As Croker attempts to reach the gold, it slips further, and the audience is left not knowing whether the coach, its contents, and its occupants survive – a literal cliffhanger ending. Croker's last line, “Hang on lads, I've got a great idea!” left the film open for a sequel, although none emerged. Apart from the colourful vision of a certain time and place, the film is also notable for its inventive and exciting car chases and stunts, and its soundtrack, which opens with the song "On Days like These", by Matt Monro, and closes with Quincy Jones' "Getta Bloomin' Move-On" (usually referred to as "The Self Preservation Society", after its chorus).

Kennedy Martin's screenplay is sharp and witty, with several memorable lines. After an over-exuberant explosives test obliterates an armoured vehicle, Croker's reaction is an exasperated "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" delivered to perfection by Caine. The Italian Job (2003) The remake of The Italian Job is a Hollywood action, crime flick, directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Donna and Wayne Powers. It was released in 2003, and although it is considered an intelligent and engaging film in its own right, it has never been fully recognized as anything to rival its classic predecessor. After pulling off an amazing gold bullion heist from a heavily guarded palazzo in Venice, Italy, Charlie (Mark Wahlberg) and his gang – computer genius Lyle (Seth Green), wheelman Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), explosives expert Left-Ear (Mos Def) and veteran safecracker John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) – can't believe it when inside man Steve (Edward Norton) double-crosses them and keeps the gold for himself, killing John Bridger in the process.

It is now one year later, and Charlie and his team are back for revenge. With the help of John’s daughter, Stella Bridger (Charlize Theron), a beautiful nerves-of-steel safecracker, they follow the backstabber to California, where they plan to re-steal the gold. The plan is simple – when the gold is being transported to the airport the team will intercept the van by tapping into Los Angeles' traffic control system, manipulating the signals and creating one of the biggest traffic jams in LA history. They will then transport the van into the sewers, cut any opening with a train, steel the gold, and make their getaway in three high-powered mini coopers. Things of course do not go as smoothly on the day, especially when they find out Steve has updated his safe to state-of-the-art, or when in a last act of desperation, he pursues them in an assault helicopter. But in the end they prevail. They hijack the van; steal the gold, and Stella gets revenge on her father’s killer. While the gang escapes in a train, Steve is kidnapped by some Ukrainian’s whose relative he killed.

So with 28 million dollars worth of gold spread between them, they all get to live out the rest of their days in luxury. Lyle gets his high-tech stereo system; Handsome Rob gets his dream car; Left-Ear gets his mansion; and of course Charlie gets the girl. And they all live happily ever after. Similarities & Differences The similarities between the two films are few and far between, but there are certainly enough connections for the latter title to be considered a remake. Besides the title, both movies share the same protagonist – Charlie Croker, and both are about a group of thieves who have banded together in hope of pulling off the ultimate heist. They also both incorporate many of the same plot features, such as the use of a traffic jam to carry out the heist; the mini coopers; the stylishly choreographed car chases; and the robbery performed in Italy. There are many differences between the remake and the original, which in a way is good if you plan on getting your money’s worth out of a film and gives it a much more lasting appeal. Although I am sure the remake has suffered much criticism from die hard fans, for straying so much from the primary formula.

Other than the few similarities I mentioned in the section above, virtually everything has been altered in some way. The setting; the period; the characters (except Charlie); and even the basic plotline have all distinguished themselves from the original. The film is set in the present (as opposed to the 1960’s); and although the initial robbery takes place in Venice, Italy, the majority of the film is played out in L.A. The biggest distinction between the two films is the conversion of plot. The original film was based around the robbery of some four million dollars worth of gold from an Italian shipment from China. While the remake begins with a heist set in Italy, everything afterwards is new territory – someone betrays them and takes the money for himself. A year later they assemble a team to seek revenge on their crooked comrade, and take back what is rightly (although illegally) theirs. Pros & Cons In this final section I will be examining the pro’s and con’s of each film, respectively. I have also implemented a scoring system. Each films starts on a total of zero – one point will be added for every pro, and one point will be subtracted for every con (i.e. Pros – Cons = Total).

This will also help me come to a decision for the final verdict. Pros ('69 Original): Is the original Italian Job Is considered a classic; even a cult-film by some Is entirely set in Italy Good mix of action and comedy Very funny at times Has some classic cinema moments (e.g.

parking the minis to hide from the police; driving up the ramp of the bus) Has some great and memorable quotes (“You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” Fun and enjoyable soundtrack (“We’re the Self-preservation Society” Some great stunts and action sequences, considering the time it was set Came up with the concept of creating a traffic jam to make a safe getaway Better minis Has the mafia in it By far, one of the greatest car chases committed to film Closes with a cliffhanger ending (literally) Cons ('69 Original): Doesn’t introduce any of the characters very well (except perhaps Charlie and Lorna) Poor character development Most of the characters were not very likeable or interesting Lacks any real villain Medium to low acting standard (even Michael Caine wasn’t up to his usually high standard) At times, very confusing for the audience Boring and slow-paced at times Unrealistic and often absurd At time a little too Hollywood [18 - 5 = 13] The Final Verdict So we’ve compared the two films – their similarities and differences; their good points and bad. We’ve analysed every aspect of the two films and now it is time to decide which is the best.

A comparison of the two storylines proved that, despite their differences, the defining element of The Italian Job plot is shared between the two. The significance of the original lies in key scenes and memorable quotes, and although none of the quotes can be redone, the traffic jam, the mini coopers, the car chase, and the heist have all been successfully translated into the remake, along with a much better plotline to boot. Other than these ingredients, and of course the presence of Michael Caine, the original really wasn’t that good at all. Furthermore, when the two movies were contrasted against each other in the Pro’s & Con’s section, we established that not only did the remake have more good aspects and less bad aspects, it also finished with a much higher score. Finally, I have come to a decision on the basis of my own opinion, in the interest of the mainstream audience; the quality of each film; and most importantly out of respect of the better portrayal of the story itself. So--as you may have already guessed--my decision has to be… the 2003 remake.

Not only is it simply a better movie, but it also has better and more definitive characters; improved directing, acting and editing; superior technologically; and incorporates a much more satisfying ending. Plus it appeals to a much wider, mainstream audience, and in addition it includes all of the key scenes and elements that made the original so popular in the first place. Users say Time Out says Most of this so-called remake takes place not on the streets of Turin, but in Los Angeles. And the cast are predominantly American. Any other similarities with the original? Well, the heist involves bullion; three Minis are again employed for the car chase; and LA's traffic lights are tampered with to ensure a clean getaway. But that's about it, for even the story has been tweaked. It begins with a den of top-drawer thieves commandeered by Sutherland's Michael Caine character, stealing gold from Venetian hoods (the sole occasion the film sets foot in Italy), only for one of them (Norton) to scarper with the haul and ensconce himself in the protected confines of a cosy LA manor.

Seething and vengeful, the group calls on safe-cracker Charlize Theron and schemes an audacious reclamation heist. This action picture is a pale Ocean's 11 wannabe. True, there's an impressive opening sequence and a ton of gadgetry to keep tech-heads amused. But thereafter, it resembles a film made up on the fly. The cast, too, are strictly cut from comic books. Don't expect any unconventional endings either. By: DA The Italian Job - Cinema, Movie, Film Review - entertainment.ie Not interested More of a riff than a straight remake, 'The Italian Job' maintains but a few of the plot essentials of the original - namely the gold bullion, the Minis (suitably souped up modern versions) and the massive traffic jam. Like the original, a heist is central to 'The Italian Job' but the titular robbery takes place in the opening minutes. Old fashioned career crook John Bridger (Sutherland) masterminds his final heist with his protege Charlie Croker (Wahlberg).

The gang of broadbrush yet appealing characters who help them are disgusted when, after making off with $35million in gold bullion, they are betrayed by one of their own number - Steve Frezelli (Norton). Leaving the rest of the gang for dead, the amoral Frezelli decamps to Beverly Hills and sets up shop there. A year later, the surviving members of the gang with Bridger's sassy daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron) in tow, catch up with their former fellow gang member and plot their revenge. Slick and very diverting, 'The Italian Job' may not do anything particularly original with the heist or thriller genre but it moves with stylish efficiency. Never taking itself too seriously, the picture is given a light, even witty, touch by its crafty director who never allows things, despite the strict parameters of the genre, to get tiresome. His supporting cast, especially Seth Green and Mos Deaf, inject just enough life into their roles, even if the downbeat Wahlberg seems utterly out of his depth playing a charismatic ideas man.

Subscribe on 2003 The Italian Job Worse Than 1969 Version - Frankly Curious 2003 The Italian Job Worse Than 1969 Version Categories: by Frank Moraes 21 Sep 2014 After my recent disappointment with the original, 1969 version of The Italian Job , I figured I would give a try to the 2003 remake of The Italian Job . But I was wrong. It is not a remake. It just uses the title and the Mini Coopers and the traffic jam. The most remarkable thing about it is that the job is not in Italy. Oh sure, there is an “Italian job” at the very beginning of the film that goes bad, and the rest of the film involves a revenge plot stemming from it. But it takes place is exotic Los Angeles. But okay, it’s a heist film. And Seth Green as the computer hacker actually does computer hacking, although the way he breaks passwords is all wrong, and not even as advanced as in War Games , made two decades earlier. But it still feels a lot more real than watching Benny Hill replace one computer tape with another.

And the whole heist seems a whole lot more like something that would work. But that’s true of most modern heist films. The only thing that really makes a heist film worth watching is that they usually star charismatic people. This is why Ocean’s Eleven worked so well, even though its heist was riddled with holes. The Italian Job is led by Mark Wahlberg, a man so uncharismatic that if Lawrence of Arabia were remade with him, people would mistake it for Koyaanisqatsi . Up next to him is the beautiful and talented Charlize Theron — also without discernible charisma beyond the cleavage she shows when wearing a cami that is two sizes too small. In order to round out the crew, we have Mos Def as the fairly interesting munitions expert. Characters who are good at blowing things up are always interesting. And then we have to have Jason Statham, who plays Handsome Rob, who seems to be in the movie just because screenwriters are nerds and this is one of the few outlets they have for their sexual fantasies except for the stories they submit to Literotica. But I guess he does provide the same function for female viewers as Charlize Theron does for the males.

In some ways, the movie is less realistic than the original. At least in the original, three professional drivers were brought in to do the getaway. Here we’re supposed to think that when Theron’s character wasn’t studying everything anyone ever knew about cracking safes, she was learning to make Mini Coopers waltz. But okay, whatever. I like watching Charlize Theron driving around in a Mini Cooper as much as the next guy. But what about those Mini Coopers? Why Mini Coopers? There was a very good reason for them in the original film. It was basically nationalistic. The British were giving the Italians a spanking. This was explicit. The English gangster (Noël Coward) was backing the job for the good of England and the Italian gangster (Raf Vallone) wants to stop the job for Italy. So the Mini Coopers were a symbol of British pride. What’s more, there were three cars, one each in red, white, and blue: the colors of the British flag. Well, we get the same thing in this new film but there is no reason for it. This is a film about a group of Americans sticking it to another American.

Speaking of that other American, I read this about Edward Norton’s role as the bad guy, “Norton took the role of Steve Frazelli, due to a contractual obligation he had to fulfill.” That makes me feel better about him because as I was watching the film, I was wondering why he took this role that is provided absolutely no motivation in what is a very mediocre script. The full extent of his character is when Wahlberg tells him, “Same old Steve, huh? Always thinking defensively. That’s why you’re always number two… You got no imagination.” Of course, he had enough imagination to rip off Wahlberg’s entire team at the beginning of the film. What he didn’t have was intelligence, because the entire plot depended upon him being stupid. Don’t take this to mean it is a bad movie. It’s okay. But for $60 million, a lot more could be done. And in the end, the original film is more fun. This one takes itself very seriously in the same way that Mark Wahlberg takes himself very seriously. It is cookie-cutter filmmaking.

And it includes its own indictment of the filmmakers, “You got no imagination.” Other Somewhat Related Articles The Italian Job - Buy, Rent, and Watch Movies & TV on Flixster More reviews for The Italian Job Flixster Audience Score: 80% Flixster User Reviews Carlos Magalhï¿½es This exhilarating action-packed movie is quite satisfying for what it intends to be: an exciting, fast-paced fun ride that benefits from a great dose of humor,… More This exhilarating action-packed movie is quite satisfying for what it intends to be: an exciting, fast-paced fun ride that benefits from a great dose of humor, a fine cast and the beauty of its locations, especially Venice. Alex roy Remake of the 1969 film, The Italian Job, this film is a good heist film that could have been much better. The film is entertaining, but lacks anything truly… More Remake of the 1969 film, The Italian Job, this film is a good heist film that could have been much better. The film is entertaining, but lacks anything truly great.

The heist itself seems all too easy, and personally; I felt that the heist in original film was far more exciting than this. But I felt that this came off a little flat. The film is good, but it's nothing really remarkable. The cast are fun, but to be honest, I really didn't like Edward Norton here; I felt that this was one of his weakest films, and that I thought that the part should have been recast. This film, compared to the original, can be seen as a pure popcorn flick. I felt it lacked the intellectuality of the original, the wit and suspense of the heist and phenomenal, top-notch acting. With this remake, everything is predictable, and they just changed a few things around to make it "thrilling". This remake isn't bad, I was entertained by it, and like it, but compared to the original, and it's not as good. For what it is, this is still an entertaining film; just don't expect anything as great as the original. As far as remakes are concerned, this isn't bad, but it's not great either.

This film is just a case of been there done that, but I guess in the end, it's good for a mindless night of excitement, which it does well. The film does have plenty of thrills, although the plot is predictable and we know how it will end. Despite its flaws, I enjoyed it, but I'll stick with the original. If you enjoy heist films, then give this one a shot. Directors Cat this is one of the worst excuses for a film i've ever seen. I'd barely call it a remake and i'd vomit if I had to watch this again. The original… More this is one of the worst excuses for a film i've ever seen. I'd barely call it a remake and i'd vomit if I had to watch this again. The original film is a classic this runied it. Jay Hutchinson This film was made to sell tickets, pure and simple. It has plenty of guns and explosions and everything the average viewer wants to see in an action film.… More This film was made to sell tickets, pure and simple. It has plenty of guns and explosions and everything the average viewer wants to see in an action film. It's fun to watch. But is it a good film?

Hardly. The plot, though intriguing, is rushed and incomplete. The scripting is stale, clichï¿½ (C), and boring. The film's fun derives itself only from the plot's intriguing nature. Everything else about the film is weak and distracting. Yeah, people love this sort of film. From a critical perspective, however, the film is poor. Kevin M. Williams Cool and slick, with a decent cast to deliver the goods, this heist caper is less about the steal than about the tension between the characters working the… More Cool and slick, with a decent cast to deliver the goods, this heist caper is less about the steal than about the tension between the characters working the grab. The audience I saw it with audibly gasped when the twist showed up early on. Albert Kim

Question: The heist in the 2003 remake of “The Italian Job” takes place in which US City?
Answer: Los Angeles